Is Your Home Guest-Ready or Guest-Grimy?

Tue Mar 20, 10:07 AM ET

To: GARDEN EDITORS

Contact: Brian Sansoni of Soap and Detergent Association, +1-202-662-2517, bsansoni@cleaning101.com

WASHINGTON, March 20 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- My neighbor's home is dirtier than mine. That's one takeaway from The Soap and Detergent Association's (SDA) 2007 Spring Cleaning Survey.

Among 1,014 adults surveyed by International Communications Research (ICR) for SDA, 72% say they have visited someone's home and felt it was "unusually dirty or unclean." Conversely, less than 40% of the same respondents admitted that they have been embarrassed by their own unclean homes when unexpected guests have dropped by.

"Cleanliness is often in the eyes of the beholder," said Brian Sansoni, SDA Vice President of Communication. "We get so used to our surroundings that we 'don't see' the dust bunnies in the corners, streaks on the glass and stains on the walls. It seems to be much easier to spot those at the homes of our families and friends."

Coming Clean with Advice

SDA's Cleaning Survey also discovered that 71% of respondents would use advice that helps makes it easier for them to keep a home that is ready for guests all year long. SDA offers the following tips, adapted from our online "Cleaning The House: Room by Room Tour," which can be found at http://www.cleaning101.com/house/dirt/tour.cfm. Before cleaning, make sure you read the product label directions carefully so it's used safely, properly and effectively.

 Entryway/Foyer:

 -- Simply ask your family not to drop everything in the front hall the

 moment they walk in the door.

 -- Strategically place a rug or door mat to catch dirt and other

 particles tracked in from the outside.

 -- Stock your cleaning closet with items that will help touch up this

 area, such as an electrostatic dry mop, glass cleaner, general purpose

 cleaner and dust wipes.

 Kitchen:

 -- To clean areas such as countertops, sprays or wipes are easy to use.

 For tough stains, use a cleaning pad embedded with a stain-busting

 multi-purpose cleaner. To clean larger areas such as floors or walls,

 powders or liquids mixed in a pail of water are more efficient.

 Following the product directions carefully.

 -- Keep a container of wipes on the counter for use in a pinch.

 Living Room:

 -- Clean your wood furniture on a regular basis by using a clean cloth

 with furniture polish on it or use furniture wipes -- specifically

 designed for wood surfaces. For a quick dust-up, use an electrostatic

 dust mitt or sheet.

 -- Wood floors should be cared for according to the type of wood they are

 made of. Some simply require a light vacuuming, while others may need

 additional care, using a specially-formulated wood floor cleaning

 product. Carpets should be vacuumed frequently to remove dirt and

 grit particles which are ground in with every footstep and weaken

 carpet fibers. To help remove tough stains, spray a carpet stain

 product as quickly as you can after a spill. And try a fabric

 refresher to tackle lingering odors.

 Bathroom:

 -- Using an in-tank continuous cleaner will maintain the freshness of the

 bowl every day. Or try toilet cleaners with specially-designed

 disposable pads packed with cleaning power.

 -- Use a daily shower cleaner to keep shower and tub surfaces free of

 soap scum, mildew stains and hard water deposits. For stubborn stains

 or soap film buildup, spray a bathroom cleaner to thoroughly penetrate

 the soil, then rub or scour.

 Spring Cleaning Priorities and Rewards -- 2/3 Still Spring Clean

Over the years, the percentage of Americans who routinely engage in spring cleaning has stayed the same, about 65%. According to this year's study, priority rooms include the kitchen (37%), living room (19%) and bedrooms (14%), which is consistent with how Americans ranked these rooms in the same survey conducted five years ago. Other priorities include bathrooms (12%) and the family room (8%).

Most and least rewarding tasks also remained constant. Atop the list of most rewarding tasks are cleaning the kitchen (23%), doing the laundry (14%), cleaning the garage or basement (12%, primarily men), cleaning the bathroom (12%), sweeping/mopping the floors (8%), washing the windows (7%) and doing the dishes (6%).

http://www.cleaning101.com

SDA offers useful spring cleaning tips on surface cleaning, disinfecting, laundry and fabric care, dishwashing, and proper home and workplace hygiene, at http://www.cleaning101.com. A guide to safe and effective use of household cleaning products, Clean and Safe in the 21st Century, can be found online at http://www.cleaning101.com/health.

About SDA

The Soap and Detergent Association (http://www.cleaning101.com), the Home of the U.S. Cleaning Products Industry(SM), is the non-profit trade association representing manufacturers of household, industrial, and institutional cleaning products, their ingredients and finished packaging; oleochemical producers; and chemical distributors to the cleaning product industry. SDA members produce more than 90 percent of the cleaning products marketed in the U.S. The SDA is located at 1500 K Street, NW, Suite 300, Washington, DC 20005.

About the Survey

The 2007 Spring Cleaning Survey was completed for The Soap and Detergent Association by International Communications Research (ICR). ICR questioned 1,014 American male and female heads of household in March 2007 regarding their house cleaning attitudes. The survey has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.1 percent.

SOURCE Soap and Detergent Association